Momma
by Dixongurl
Summary: Beth decides to take baby Gracie for herself.
1. Chapter 1

**Okay so picture this..**

 **Beth never got shot but she and Noah successfully escaped Grady.**

 **Daryl and Beth are already kind of in a relationship by the time they get to Hilltop (that will change) and Beth decides to adopt baby Gracie. **Daryl supports her decision but Maggie has some issue's with it.****

 ** **Did you picture it? Yes? Me too lol****

 ** **Anyway, here's my very short first chapter. I am keeping this story light but with some humor mixed in, because there's really not enough stories like that. If it should change I'll be sure to warn everyone before :D****

* * *

There were a lot of things missing from Beth's life. A Mother, Father, an older brother, a boyfriend. All of these things were lost somewhere in the afterlife, watching over her and Maggie, making sure they made it. It was becoming harder and harder each day, especially with the threat of war looming over their heads. But they managed the best way they could.

It seemed like they never had a moments peace, as they were always worried about their next move and Negan's. Beth tried to separate herself from those meetings, always using the excuse that she had to check on Judith.

When their latest point of interest wasn't a success, they were left with a reminder of why they shouldn't _always_ shoot first. A baby girl of maybe five months, named Gracie. Aaron brought her back to Hilltop and gave her to Maggie, quickly explaining what happened.

Maggie and Beth made up a room for Gracie in the main house, then gave Jerry and a few others a list of things they needed for the new baby. Like clothes, formula, binkies, blankets, a crib and bottles. They had some of Judith's old clothes, but they'd only last so long. They would've had more, but most of her things were left at the prison when they fled.

It never hit Beth until Judith was born that she would never get to have a baby. After what happened to Lori, it seemed silly to even think about it. Dangerous, even. However, she never stopped dreaming. Before the outbreak happened, Beth planned to marry and have children, live on a farm as she did growing up, and work at her Fathers veterinary clinic. That was her plan until one day it wasn't, and her only plan was to make it just one more day without dying.

Everyone started talking about rebuilding their lives, trying to make a community in this hell. They talked about children playing and animals grazing, people smiling and enjoying life. It reminded her of what everyone said Heaven was like, but it wouldn't happen as long as the fighting continued. Everyone knew it.

One evening after dinner, Maggie, Daryl and a few others were holding a meeting. Beth couldn't sleep due to the heat, so she snuck downstairs to the den. She pressed her ear against the cool wood and closed her eyes, listening to them speak about Gracie as if she were just an option.

"She's just another mouth to feed."

"She's already here, we're not discussing this!" Maggie snapped.

Beth slowly twisted the door knob and entered the room, everyone stopped talking and turned to her. She folded her arms as she poked her head around the many bodies, until she saw her sister sitting behind the desk.

"I thought you went to bed?" Maggie questioned, re-positioning Gracie in her lap.

"I can't sleep." She walked up to the desk."I've been thinkin' about Gracie and...I want her."

Maggie raised her brows."Beth-"

"No! She doesn't have anybody, and people are fighting over what to do with her like she's not even here. So I decided that I want to keep her for myself."

Everyone grew quiet in the room, except for Gracie's coos. Beth walked around the desk and held out her arms for Gracie, Maggie stood and placed the sleeping babe in her arms. She stood there watching as Beth positioned Gracie in her arms, before reaching out and touching her warm skin.

"It's a lot of work, Beth."

"I think you forget that I took care of Judith at the prison."

Maggie sighed."Beth, that was different. You had me, Carol, Daddy...And she wasn't even yours. Gracie will be _your_ baby, and _you_ will be responsible for her."

"I know." Beth replied calmly."I'm ready for it. I don't know when I'll ever have a chance to be a mom, so I'm doing what I know is best."

Maggie reached up and brushed a fallen strand of hair from Beth's face."You'll have plenty of chances for this-"

"I'm doin' this whether you like it or not. And who cares if I want to raise her, I'm a good mom - look at Judith." She waved her hand around.

"What if a guy comes along-"

"Then he'll have to accept that I have a child, Maggie, just like Daddy accepted Shawn!"

Maggie grew quiet.

Beth turned around to face the others, who were just as quiet. She knew they were probably thinking she was nuts, and maybe she was, but she wasn't going to let a little baby be motherless. She walked to the door and it was opened by Daryl, who touched her shoulder as she crossed over the threshold. She turned and he gave a reassuring nod.

"I'll slide the crib in your room."

She gave a faint smile and walked to the staircase, with Daryl following close behind her. She went down the hall to the left and Daryl went to the right, he came back moments later with the pack n' play. She laid Gracie down on her bed and helped set it up, and after a slew of curses from Daryl and continuous shushes from Beth, they finally got the play pen up and moved it to the foot of the bed.

"Thank you." Beth huffed, wiping the sweat off her forehead.

"Mhm." Daryl walked to the window and peered out.

Beth sat on the bed."Penny for your thoughts?"

He glanced over and shook his head."M'nothing."

"You think I'm crazy, don't you?"

He snorted."Why would I think that?"

Beth shrugged."Well, I'm 19 and I have a baby, but no husband or boyfriend."

"So...She needs a momma." He pointed to Gracie."Ain't nobody better for the job than you."

Beth blushed and looked away.

"I saw you with Lil' ass kicker at the prison, you were the mom she never had. Still are."

"She has Michonne now."

"Yeah but, you were there from day one. Not many people would do that. Ain't nobody gonna forget that."

Beth scooted closer to Daryl and wrapped her arms around him, he wrapped his arm around her waist. She could feel how wet the underside of his hair was from the sweat, and how his shirt was clinging to his skin. She pulled away equally as sweaty. They both shared a quiet laugh.

"Thank you for not thinking I'm crazy."

He snickered.

She playfully shoved his arm."Now say you're welcome."

He rolled his eyes."You're welcome. But ya didn't need me to tell you that, you already knew ya weren't."

Beth turned and looked at Gracie sleeping, her blonde hair sticking to her forehead. She gently ran her fingers over the baby's head and smiled. She turned back to Daryl when she felt him leave the bed.

"Plan on sticking around a while?"

He folded his arms with a shrug."Hm, I'unno."

"I have a new deck of cards, maybe we can play some strip poker." She wiggled her brows.

He snorted."Nu-uh, you ain't gettin' me in my undies."

"Wanna get me in mine?"

He raised a brow."Careful..."

She giggled and stood up."Regular poker then, eh?"

"Get some sleep." He leaned in and kissed her."Gonna be a long day tomorrow."

She pouted and grabbed his arm."It'll be an even longer night with this heat." She stuck out her bottom lip."Please stay?"

He heaved a sigh and took a seat on the bed."Gonna be the death of me, girl."

"Oh stop." She smirked, as she picked up Gracie."If the walkers haven't killed you yet, I certainly won't."


	2. Chapter 2

Beth started out the day giving Gracie a bath, since she had puked sometime during the night. Daryl had gone out hunting and wouldn't be back until much later, so it was just her and the baby today.

The day was another scorcher, a good 90 degrees at least. Everyone was in shorts and loose shirts, a few were even in their swim suits. There wasn't a pool or swimming hole yet, they simply just opted on something that didn't make them sweat. Beth considered it, but didn't feel like rifling around for it.

After Gracie's bath, Beth dressed her in a t-shirt onesie and a frilly yellow hat, smothered the baby in sunblock and made her way downstairs. The house was bustling with people, coming and going from meetings with Maggie. Some liked to joke she was the Godfather, others wouldn't joke about it.

Beth knocked on the den door and pushed it open, the drab room had wet sheets hanging in front of the windows and a fan in the corner. It made it at least 10 degrees cooler than the rest of the house.

"Morning." Maggie greeted with a smile.

Beth smiled."Morning. How'd you sleep?"

"Terrible. The baby kept kicking and when I finally started to fall asleep, he laid right on my bladder."

Beth snickered."I'm sorry."

Maggie sighed."It's almost over, only a month to go."

"I know." Beth took a seat across from Maggie.

The eldest Greene leaned forward and folded her hands on the desk."How'd your first night go?"

"Good. Although, she did puke, so I had to give her a bath."

Maggie smiled."I heard that Daryl stayed the night with you?"

Beth swallowed thickly."Well yeah, we played cards half the night and talked...it was nice."

"Things are getting pretty serious between you two, huh?" She questioned, though she already had an idea.

"Not in that way." She blushed.

Maggie quirked a brow."So you haven't slept with him yet?"

"No."

"Well he does like you, that much we all know."

Beth blushed again."I know that too."

It wasn't a secret that she and Daryl had feelings for each other, it was hard to deny anything after the funeral home. Noah noticed it after they found Carol and Daryl in an office building. He wouldn't even let Beth go long enough so Carol could hug her, and when they got back to the church where the others were, he barely even let her out of his sight.

"How does he feel about you taking on Gracie?"

"He said I was right for the job and that I was doing the right thing."

Maggie nodded and sipped her lemonade."Have you guys talked about raising her together?"

"No, not yet. I didn't really wanna go that far last night."

"Hopefully you'll at least talk about it."

"I am...when he gets back, I guess." She nodded.

Maggie leaned back in the chair and rested her hand over her swollen belly."Daddy would be so proud of you."

"You think?"

"Of course, you've grown so much since the farm. That's all Daddy ever wanted for us, but for you especially."

She frowned."Too bad he isn't around to see us."

"He's around."

Both Maggie and Beth shared a smile, though there was more pain behind it than joy.

Beth left shortly after their conversation and walked outside, dropping her sunglasses down on her face. She spotted Noah and Christine down by the grill, chatting with Carol, Carl and Judith. Jerry and Michael stood at the gates, watching the children play tag in the field.

It was a nice thing to hear and see first thing in the morning, instead of walkers trying to claw their way inside the place. She walked over to the trailer where Daryl was staying, he said he left something on his bed for her.

The trailer was like all the others, except his wasn't decorated like the others. Plain bedding, a plaid couch and a desk in the corner, and a few clothes strewn on the floor. Other than that the trailer screamed empty. She walked over to his bed and plopped down, sticking out from the pillow was a sliver chain. She lifted the pillow and smiled.

"...Daryl." She picked up the silver heart locket and rubbed her thumb over it."He's too much Gracie."

The baby cooed as she tried grabbing for the locket, Beth giggled and kissed the baby's cheek. She stood up stuffing the locket in her front pocket, before making her way back outside. She was starved and she was sure Gracie was too.

* * *

Daryl hated having to train these newbies, but he wasn't going to do this forever. Not that he didn't like hunting, he loved it actually, he was just tired. His body ached everyday but he pushed himself to do his part, because nobody else would. Now he had seven people who were willing to learn, but of course it wasn't easy, they were dumber than a five pound sack of potatoes.

For starters, some of them didn't even know how to shoot properly, so that was a whole other can of worms. Secondly, they didn't know how to be quiet and were attracting walkers, which of course, scared off any game they were trying to hunt.

"Uh, let's call it a day, head back." Daryl announced, irritated.

Brad and the rest agreed, all congratulating each other on a job well done, when in fact nothing was done. All they managed to rustle up was walkers, when they had a community of people depending on them for dinner. He prayed they still had enough meat to get them through tonight and tomorrow.

"So Beth huh?"

Daryl glared at the tall, lanky kid."What about her?"

He shook his head."She's pretty. Is she your wife?"

Daryl bit the inside of his cheek."Somethin' like that."

"Damn." He heaved a sigh."I didn't think Brad was right, but he swore it. He even said you two had a baby, I didn't believe it cause she's so young, but dammed if he isn't right."

Daryl fell silent as he listened to the man jabber on about Beth and Gracie, hoping like hell he'd shut up, but he knew better. Thomas was talkative, Brad warned him when they first arrived. He also warned him that he had a crush on Beth.

"...I don't mean to ask so many questions, but when did you guys get married?"

"A while ago." Daryl scanned around them, trying to tune Thomas out.

"Oh. I guess Brad was right about that too." He mumbled.

Daryl turned to him and shoved him up against the nearest tree."Shut the fuck up! You wanna get us all killed out here?"

Thomas held up his hands."I-I'm...I'm s-sorry man."

"Lesson one." Daryl snarled, releasing his shirt collar.

Thomas slumped to the base of the tree, as Daryl stomped off towards the truck. The others stayed quiet and parted the way for him, afraid that he may have another outburst. Once he reached the truck he jumped in the drivers seat, while the others took to the bed of the truck, all afraid to sit inside with Daryl. Quite frankly, he preferred it that way, he had more time to think about what he was going to do.

 _"Takin' on too much lil' brother, might as well take that pretty blonde and leave. Officer friendly ain't done shit for you."_

"Douchebag." He muttered under his breath, as Merle's voice echoed through his head.

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 ** **Poor Daryl lol****

 ** **Okay so I really really want to thank everyone who reviewed and messaged me, it means so much!****

 ** **Fair warning, Thomas is going to be bit of a problem throughout the story, or more like a pain in the ass haha****

 ** **I hope you enjoyed the chapter, sorry it took a while, I've been so busy working and trying to save up money so I can fix my car. Ugh.****

 ** **Xoxo****


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